In Your World
by Trisha20
Summary: Nina is a kindergarten teacher working in Hong Kong. Ha Young-jae is one of the lead singers of the world's biggest k-pop group. Despite belonging to different worlds, a fated 'collision' brings their paths together. Once Young-jae realises that he can finally be himself around Nina, he's not willing to let her go; but will Nina be able to survive in his world? NOT AFTER FF.
1. Chapter 1: In Black Head to Toe

**Chapter One: In Black Head to Toe**

I never expected to belong by your side, _in your world_, Young-jae. You see, I wasn't born into privilege, or with a silver spoon as you would say. Instead, from the second I was born, my parents moved mountains to ensure that they could provide me with a prosperous life. They taught me the importance of excelling, whilst staying humble and true to one's roots.

It was with this humility and a sense of gratitude in mind that I had booked them two nights at the Four Seasons to surprise them on their visit to see me in Hong Kong. When I first met you Young-jae, I had only been working a few months, but my savings were enough to afford them this small luxury after all the sacrifices they had made for me.

Their flight had been scheduled for 11am that day, and after leaving them at the airport, I had made my way back to the Four Seasons to pick up the rest of my belongings. My parents had brought me some of my most treasured possessions, and after packing and packing and re-packing, it was obvious that not all of them were going to fit in the small rucksack I had brought for the two nights' stay.

That is why I was carrying my laptop when I first saw you. Except I didn't see you. And with your head lowered under that baseball cap, I had clearly evaded your line of sight. But I belonged by your side, _in your world_, Young-jae.

I look over my shoulder as I adjust my rucksack's strap. I'm carrying more things than feasibly possible, and ensuring my long tresses are not caught under the strap is proving to be a task in itself. It's a truth universally acknowledged that mothers always bring three times as many things than asked for, and well, my mother was not going to be the exception.

With my curls now comfortably sitting atop my shoulders and cascading down my back, I turn around, only to unexpectedly crash into a black clad chest. Both the impact from the crash and the tall figure's strength almost have me falling back, but I grab onto the fabric of his shirt to keep myself upright. The next thing I hear is my laptop crashing on the floor.

The tall figure ensures that I am standing upright and stable before he loosens my grip on his shirt and bends over between us to pick up the laptop. He inspects it, before rising back up and turning to me, meeting my eyes.

"I'm really sorry," a foreign accent beckons from behind a black face mask. The tall figure is dressed in black head to toe, including a black baseball cap and a black face mask. I barely make out kind dark brown eyes, as he continues. "I was not looking where I was going. I can pay for it to get fixed, or I can buy you a new one."

"Is it really broken?" I question, not having seen the extent of the laptop's damage for myself. "It was brand new," I sulk as I open it to find a shattered screen and the power button not turning on.

For a second, all of the newly formed happy memories that I accumulated during the past week with my parents disappear, and the worry of cutting into my little savings to buy myself a new laptop takes their place at the forefront of my mind. But then the tall figure's hands reach out to take the laptop from my hands, and my attention is brought back to the now, to him and to his promise.

"I mean it," he says. "If you can just follow me. We can settle this in my hotel room. I can have my manager -" he says, as a matter of fact.

"Your hotel room?" I interrupt him before he can continue. "I wouldn't feel comfortable in your hotel room," I mutter, meeting his eyes and standing my ground.

"I understand, but it's the only option. I am trying to keep a low profile, trying not to get recognized by the press. If they see us together, your life may never be the same again." He whispers, and I stare, not knowing whether to trust his words or not. "Please follow me," he adds, "this is non-negotiable."

With those words, he turns his back to me and starts heading in the direction of the elevators. Acting on their own, my legs follow suit and within seconds I have caught up to him and we stand side by side waiting for the elevator. I see him glance at me from the corner of my eye, but I keep my eyes fixated on the light above the elevator. _Third floor. Second floor. First floor. _Ground floor.

The elevator_ dings_ as the doors open and the elevator operator greets the stranger beside me with a bow.

"Welcome back Mr. Ha," he says as he steps out of the elevator and motions for us to go inside. "Should I inform reception that you are to have a guest?" He inquires.

"Yes, please," the stranger with a name replies. "I will call reception myself to have someone escort this lady out later," he says, before inclining his head and offering a small bow of gratitude. The elevator operator manages a quick response before the doors close and I am left alone in the stranger's company.

I see him press the highest button – to the penthouse – before he turns his broad back to me and presumably inputs a code into the elevator's screen. With the correct code inputted, the elevator starts into motion and his shoulders physically relax as he turns to me. He crosses over me and stands in the corner furthest from me before he begins to unmask.

My breath hitches. Firstly, he removes his black baseball cap to reveal a mass of dark black hair, styled and parted to show perfect fair skin over kind dark brown eyes that I had previously struggled to see. Next, he removes his black face mask to reveal full, round lips that struggle to hide perfect white teeth behind them as my eyes widen in shock at this man's beauty.

"I'm Ha Young-jae," he says, as the small tug at his lips forms into a smile with the power to debilitate my knees. He extends his right hand to me and offers me a small bow as I shake his hand.

"Hi," I manage, still affected by his close presence. "My name is Nina."

"Hi Nina," he says as he offers me another kind smile that reaches his eyes. "I really am sorry about your laptop. I have the habit of looking down when I walk to avoid the press, but still, I've never crashed into anyone like that before," he says, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as if he is finding it hard to believe that he crashed into me too.

"You're really avoiding the press?" I blurt out, despite it being a private matter.

"You mean you don't recognize me?" He asks, with the pitch in his voice rising and his eyes widening.

"Hmm," I buy myself some time. "Should I?" I admit, hoping I haven't just offended him. He laughs out loud, the happiness surrounding the tight elevator compartment and replacing the tension in the air. My shoulders visibly relax.

"Have you heard of 'Seventy Seventy'?" He asks, this time, eagerly awaiting my response. Young-jae's face lights up as once again, a wave of confusion returns to my face. He's enjoying my discomfort! "_Seven T Seven T_," he tries again, as he draws a mirror image of a number seven followed by a capital T twice in the air between us. "It stands for _Seven Today, Seven Tomorrow_," he continues, expecting this last fact to bring back memories. "We're a Korean group," he concludes. He is Korean.

"Well that's the problem, right there. I've never heard any Korean music," I admit. "Are you a famous group?" I ask, although I know the answer before he even has the chance to reply. After all, he was covered from head to toe in an attempt to evade the press.

"You can find out for yourself when you get home," he winks at me and my breath hitches once again. "There's seven of us," he explains. "I'm the eldest. I was just out taking some photos by the harbor, I don't know who may still be left in the apartment," he manages, just as the lift _dings_ and opens onto the grandest hotel apartment I have ever seen.


	2. Chapter 2: 7T7T

**Chapter Two: 7T7T**

Two pairs of eyes widen as I follow Young-jae out of the elevator. The first pair of eyes belongs to a silver-haired man wearing black sweats and a black hoodie. He halts mid-step and his mouth drops open in shock. The second pair of eyes belongs to a platinum-haired man pacing up and down the vast communal living room in the suite in a robe and with a toothbrush in his mouth. This platinum-haired man is the first to speak, as he addresses Young-jae in Korean before offering me a foam-filled smile and a friendly wave. From the corner of my eye, I see Young-jae slightly shake his head in response to the platinum-haired boy.

"Nina, this is Min-jun," Young-jae explains, referring to the platinum-haired man, "and that is Chul-hwa," he continues, this time referring to the silver-haired man still staring at me in disbelief. I look down to my toes, fidgeting uncomfortably as I realize how strange this must be for them as well as for me. "Are the others not home?" Young-jae continues in English, and I blush at the thought of Young-jae's inclusion of me.

"Soo-kyon is still sleeping, and the others went down to work out," Min-jun replies, his eyes moving continuously from Young-jae to me, as if trying to decipher Young-jae's purpose in bringing me here. When Chul-hwa unexpectedly murmurs a phrase in Korean, Young-jae finally explains.

"Nina and I crashed into each other in the lobby and her laptop broke," he says, as both of the men nod in understanding when they see the laptop in Young-jae's hands. "I offered to pay for a new one," he concludes as both men breathe out and physically relax.

"Nice to meet you Nina," Chul-hwa finally addresses me in a soft tone, and makes his way towards me with a genuine and warm smile, and his hand outstretched. I hesitantly shake it, and to my surprise, Chul-hwa only lets go of my hand when Young-jae steps closer to me and clears his throat.

"Nice to meet you too," I mutter, acknowledging both Chul-hwa and Min-jun with a slight bow. Young-jae's profound presence next to me makes my heart race, and I turn to see his intent gaze fixated on me, just before another figure appears in my line of sight.

Soo-kyon, I assume, struts out from one of the rooms, yawning and wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts. Unaware of our presence, he stretches his arms above his black-haired head in a morning stretch before realization hits him. He halts mid-step, fixates his eyes on me and offers me a quick "I'm sorry," before running back into his bedroom. Unable to maintain a straight face, I giggle and to my surprise, I am joined by the other members.

"Mentally, he's our youngest," Young-jae explains with warmth in his eyes. "Please make yourself comfortable," he motions towards the various sofas decorating the room. "I will call our manager and have him come up. Would you like something to drink?"

"Just some water, please," I smile up at him as I sit down on a sofa as Min-jun and Chul-hwa mirror me and sit down across from me. Soo-kyon, now fully dressed in navy and white pinstriped pyjamas, joins us with a welcoming smile on his face and sits precisely next to me.

"Hi. I'm Soo-kyon, nice to meet you," he says, as a trace of embarrassment creeps up on his cheeks before disappearing and being replaced with a kind smile.

"Hello, Soo-kyon. I'm Nina," I return his smile. However, and to my discomfort, Young-jae sits down in between us and gives Soo-kyon a stern look before turning to me with a brief smile and a glass of chilled water. The playful atmosphere that had been brought about by Soo-kyon's innocent aura is instantly replaced by an intense atmosphere brought about by Young-jae's smoldering gaze. I squirm in my seat, and attempt to move a few centimeters away from him, to no success.

"Our manager will be here shortly," he says as I take a sip of the water. The word 'shortly' should be enough to reassure me, but instead, I begin to think how long I can hold out against the man beside me. With his full lips slightly parted, and his dark brown eyes fixated on me, I doubt I will survive long. When Min-jun speaks, I am thankful to him for taking my attention elsewhere.

"Until then, Nina," he says, "you shouldn't ask us any personal questions. Our manager will have you sign a non-disclosure agreement, so that anything you heard or _saw_ here today, will stay in this room," he clears his throat, his eyes darting to Soo-kyon. The tension in the room rises, and I realize how unfamiliar this situation is for them, as well as me. _They are all on guard._

"I understand," I say, nervously nodding my head. "I would never go to the press. I, I – " my voice wavers.

"You don't have to worry about Nina," Young-jae speaks up, coming to my defense. All my worries immediately evaporate as he places a gentle hand on my lower back. I turn to him and he gives me a small nod, before turning back to the other members. "Nina doesn't know who we are," he smiles, "or the group," he continues, "or the industry."

I raise my head to find three pairs of eyes staring at me in disbelief, in a similar to way to how Young-jae had looked at me when I had admitted to not recognizing him.

"You haven't heard of us?" Min-jun manages, his mouth wide open. "Min-jun? Min-min? I'm the group's lead rapper." I offer an apologetic look as I shake my head.

I bite my lip as Young-jae relaxes beside me, sitting back, this time enjoying not only my discomfort, but also his members' shocked faces. His hand slowly draws circles on my lower back and I unexpectedly find myself relaxing. Young-jae's ability to read me and figure out my needs amongst the anxiety gripping at me is both surprising and unsurprising to me, but I don't have time to think it over.

"You've never listened to our music?" This time, Chul-hwa continues the interrogation with a crushed look adorning his plump cheeks. "The group's name is 7T7T."

"We released two albums this year, and they both rose to Number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart. Our latest album has been Number 1 for weeks now," Soo-kyon adds in disbelief.

"_Hyung,_ where did you find this girl?" Chul-hwa shakes his head with a slight smile on his lips, before turning back to me. "It's so refreshing to meet a girl who doesn't instantly ask us for a photo or an autograph."

"You're turning out more interesting by the second," Young-jae whispers beside me. As I turn to him, I am met with a warm smile just centimetres from my own and my breath hitches at his proximity. For the shortest moment, his dark brown eyes drop to my lips; but before I know it, he sits back against the sofa, his hands caressing my lower back and his eyes caressing the blush upon my cheeks.

"Maybe I will regret not having asked for your autograph or photo when I get home and listen to your music. That is, _if_ I like it of course," I say the first thing that comes to my mind.

"It's not a matter of if," Soo-kyon grins, confidently. "And you will regret it," he says as a matter of fact. The men grin at Soo-kyon's confidence and for the first time yet, I feel at ease amongst them.

"So, Nina," Min-jun begins a different interrogation this time. "What brings a young woman to the Four Seasons in Hong Kong alone?"

"Actually, I wasn't alone," I correct him. I feel Young-jae freeze beside me before he drops his hand from my lower back. "I work here," I tell them, refusing to pay any mind to Young-jae's actions.

"You work at the hotel?" Min-jun continues questioning me, and the more we talk, the more I begin to form an idea of their group dynamics.

I imagine Min-jun to be the group's leader – a confident speaker, unafraid to use his voice in questioning me. Beside him, Chul-hwa is the image of an idol, reserved but reachable, kind, warm. Soo-kyon, as Young-jae described, is the group's immature member, innocent, naïve, social. And then there's Young-jae… he's the eldest, and clearly respected and looked up to by the other members. And yet, as the eldest, he continues to let Min-jun lead, preferring instead to sit back and analyse from the shadows.

"No," I admit, realising how my wording misled them. "I mean, I work in Hong Kong. I'm a kindergarten teacher. Over Christmas, my parents came to visit me and stayed here at the Four Seasons for a few nights, but they left this morning. That's what I meant when I said I wasn't alone," I felt the need to reiterate. Young-jae relaxes once more. "What brings you guys to Hong Kong?"

"No, no, no, Nina," Young-jae sits up. "We'll only talk about you for now, remember?" His voice is smooth and playful and I nod, as I fear I may regardless of what he asks. His attention to me is like a trance, and for a second I forget the others in the room. Min-jun, Chul-hwa and Soo-kyon disappear and I am left with Young-jae and his dark-brown eyes on me. I gulp and his eyes follow the motion, down from my lips, to my throat and then back to my eyes. He turns his head slightly and smiles at me.

"How do you enjoy being a kindergarten teacher, Nina?" Young-jae's question throws me off guard. Does he really want to know? As the seconds grow, his smile widens, and as his smile widens, the more I fall into his trance. Speechless, and unable to put together a response, I blush as I realise his power over me. A look between us confirms my fears: Young-jae realises his power over me too.

Saved by the _ding_ of the elevator, our heads turn in time to see four men speaking amongst themselves step out of the elevator. Three young men, drenched in sweat and carrying towels, walk towards us, whilst an older man dressed in a simple white shirt and jeans trails behind them.

"Nina," Young-jae's voice returns to its normal state as he introduces me to the three young men. Unlike Min-jun and Chul-hwa, neither one of them is surprised to see me, and the older man behind them is likely the cause of it. "This is Dae-hyun," he gestures towards the black-haired detached member, "this is Dae-shim," he gestures towards the red-haired member who offers me a wide smile, "and this is Hyun-shik, our youngest," he adds, as he Hyun-shik's black hair, causing him to laugh out loud. Hyun-shik composes himself, and offers me a shy smile.


End file.
